User:Jan.akmal

Prof. Jan Akmal (also known as Jan Sher Akmal, Jan S. Akmal, JS Akmal) is the tenure track professor of product development at the School of Engineering, Aalto University. He seeks to advance the interplay between design and manufacturing to help create products, processes, and materials of tomorrow. His research team is co-piloting the product development process with artificial intelligence technologies, not only as a tool for design, but also for creating business potential.

After receiving his secondary education in Toronto, Canada, Jan also completed the advanced general certificate of education from Cambridge University. Following the completion of his bachelor’s double degree from Germany and Finland, Jan graduated with distinction with a master’s degree from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Aalto University. Jan defended his PhD in 2022.

Jan is currently serving as the responsible director at Aalto School of Engineering for the Master's Programme in International Design Business Management (IDBM), which is jointly organized by all six Schools of Aalto University. He has taken guest editor and reviewer roles in various leading scientific journals. Jan is the Research Director of Aalto Digital Design Laboratory (ADDLAB) and Aalto Production Engineering Laboratory. He is also contributing to the Aalto Design Factory (ADF) as the professor of product development. Prof. Jan Akmal also serves as President of the Finnish Rapid Prototyping Association (FIRPA).  

List of scientific publications:

1. Doosti, N., Nyrhilä, O., & Akmal, J. (2026). Multimodal ensemble defect detection and self-healing in laser-based powder bed fusion. Materials & Design, 265, 115826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2026.115826
2. Ullah, R., Akmal, J. S., Laakso, S., & Niemi, E. (2026). Part-scale finite element simulation and investigation of machining allowances for laser-based powder bed fusion components. International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/0951192X.2026.2619780
3. Akmal, J., Minet-Lallemand, K., Kuva, J., Syvänen, T., Ylander, P., Puttonen, T., Björkstrand, R., Partanen, J., Nyrhilä, O., & Salmi, M. (2025). AI-based defect detection and self-healing in metal additive manufacturing. Virtual and Physical Prototyping, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17452759.2025.2500671
4. Yin, X., Akmal, J., & Salmi, M. (2025). Artificial intelligence-driven defect detection and localization in metal 3D printing using convolutional neural networks. Materials Science in Additive Manufacturing, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.36922/MSAM025150022
5. Akmal, J. S., & Salmi, M. (2025). Part 5: Global Reports : Europe, Finland. In Wohlers Report 2025: 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Global State of the Industry (Vol. 30, pp. 297-301). ASTM International.
6. Kumar, S. S., Niyagama, W. W., Akmal, J. S., & Salmi, M. (2025). 4D printing of electro-activated thermochromic composites for dynamic 3D displays. Materials and Design, 251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2025.113674
7. Akmal, J. S. (2024). Why switch operations to digital manufacturing? Stoori, 38–44.
8. Akmal, Jan, & Salmi, M. (2024). Additive manufacturing of self-sensing parts through material extrusion. Virtual and Physical Prototyping, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17452759.2024.2321200
9. Björkstrand, R., Akmal, J., & Salmi, M. (2024). Metal Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion Process Development Using Optical Tomography. Materials, 17(7), 1461. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071461
10. Kumar, S. S., Akmal, Jan Sher, & Salmi, M. 2023. 4D printing of shape memory polymer with continuous carbon fiber. Progress in Additive Manufacturing. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40964-023-00553-1
11. Akmal, Jan Sher, Macarie, M., Björkstrand, R., Minet, K., & Salmi1, M. 2023. Defect detection in laser-based powder bed fusion process using machine learning classification methods. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1296(1), 012013. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/1296/1/012013
12. Ullah, R., Lian, J., Akmal, Jan Sher, Wu, J., & Niemi, E. 2023. Prediction and validation of melt pool dimensions and geometric distortions of additively manufactured AlSi10Mg. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 126(7–8), 3593–3613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-023-11264-w  
13. Anneli Kangas, Kirsi Kukko, Tomi Kanerva, Arto Säämänen, Jan Sher Akmal, Jouni Partanen, and Anna-Kaisa Viitanen, Workplace Exposure Measurements of Emission from Industrial 3D Printing, Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 2023; wxad006, https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxad006
14. Akmal, Jan Sher. 2022. “Switchover to Additive Manufacturing: Dynamic Decision-Making for Accurate, Personalized and Smart End-Use Parts.” Aalto University. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-64-1013-5.
15. Akmal, Jan Sher, Mika Salmi, Roy Björkstrand, Jouni Partanen, and Jan Holmström. 2022. “Switchover to Industrial Additive Manufacturing: Dynamic Decision-Making for Problematic Spare Parts.” International Journal of Operations and Production Management 42 (13): 358–84. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-01-2022-0054.
16. Rautio, Samu., Tuomi, Timo., and Akmal, Jan Sher. (2022). Legal Aspects of Additive Manufacturing in the Military Logistics. Security Dimensions, 40(40), 154-195. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0015.8153
17. Akmal, Jan Sher, Mika Salmi, Björn Hemming, Linus Teir, Anni Suomalainen, Mika Kortesniemi, Jouni Partanen, and Antti Lassila. 2020. “Cumulative Inaccuracies in Implementation of Additive Manufacturing through Medical Imaging, 3D Thresholding, and 3D Modeling: A Case Study for an End-Use Implant.” Applied Sciences (Switzerland) 10 (8): 2968. https://doi.org/10.3390/APP10082968.
18. Ullah, Rizwan, Jan Sher Akmal, Sampsa V. A. Laakso, and Esko Niemi. 2020. “Anisotropy of Additively Manufactured AlSi10Mg: Threads and Surface Integrity.” The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 107 (9–10): 3645–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-020-05243-8.
19. Salmi, M, Jan Sher Akmal, Eujin Pei, Jan Wolff, Alireza Jaribion, and Siavash H. Khajavi. 2020. “3D Printing in COVID-19: Productivity Estimation of the Most Promising Open Source Solutions in Emergency Situations.” Applied Sciences 10 (11): 4004. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10114004.
20. Ullah, Rizwan, Jan Sher Akmal, Sampsa Laakso, and Esko Niemi. 2020. “Anisotropy of Additively Manufactured 18Ni-300 Maraging Steel: Threads and Surface Characteristics.” Procedia CIRP 93: 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2020.04.059.
21. Kukko, Kirsi, Jan Sher Akmal, Anneli Kangas, Mika Salmi, Roy Björkstrand, Anna Kaisa Viitanen, Jouni Partanen, and Joshua M. Pearce. 2020. “Additively Manufactured Parametric Universal Clip-System: An Open Source Approach for Aiding Personal Exposure Measurement in the Breathing Zone.” Applied Sciences (Switzerland) 10 (19): 6671. https://doi.org/10.3390/APP10196671.
22. Akmal, Jan Sher, Mika Salmi, Antti Mäkitie, Roy Björkstrand, and Jouni Partanen. 2018. “Implementation of Industrial Additive Manufacturing: Intelligent Implants and Drug Delivery Systems.” Journal of Functional Biomaterials 9 (3): 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb9030041.
23. Akmal, Jan Sher. 2017. “Digital Unique Component Manufacturing Through Direct and Indirect Additive Manufacturing.” Aalto University. https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/28509.